Feed-water heater



UNITED STATES `PATENT EEICE,

DAVID MYERS, OF NORTH MANCHESTER, INDIANA.

FEED-WATER HEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 554,715, dated February 18, 1896.

Application led March 2 3, 1 8 9 5.

Steam-Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in feed-water heaters and steam-generators for use in connection with steam-boilers; and it consists in an improved arrangement of water circulating tubes and steam and water conveying pipes, hereinafter more fully set forth.

The object of my invention is not only to provide an arrangement or system of circulating-tubes placed transversely across the furnace of the boiler between the fierce fire of said furnace and the furnace-plates of the boiler to protect the latter from overheating, but also to provide means whereby said watercirculating tubes will be at all times charged with water; also, means whereby the boiler feed-water will be introduced first into the top rows of circulating or heating tubes, which are the colder tubes, and thence into the lower or hotter circulating-tubes, which are in direct contact with the heat of the furnace, by which means a more thorough circulation of the water through said tubes is obtained and all vibration and convulsive agitation of the fluid within the circulating-tubes is avoided, which convulsions are produced by the colder water contacting with the rapidly-generated steam, which produces violent vibrations of the tubes and tends to loosen the joints thereof; also, to provide a return connection for the ends of the circulatingtubes, by which each of the-pairs'of top and bottom tubes connected may be permitted to expand longitudinally and independently in proportion as the heat from the furnace is applied to them, and to construct such returns in such a manner that said tubes may have their ends connected to them by an expansion-joint and to provide means whereby the ends of the connected tubes in said headers may be accessible for examination. I attain these objects by means of the arrangement of water-circulating tubes illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which similar numserin No. 542,915. (No model.)

bers of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure l is a side sectional elevation of a steam-boiler, taken through the line E F (see Figs. 2 and 3) and showing my arrangement of feed-water circulating and heating tubes applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same, taken through the lines C D. (See Figs. l and 3.) Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the same, taken through the lines A B. (See Figs. l and 2.) Fig. 4 is a detail perspective broken view of the watertube feed-water heater and steam-generator. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the watertube header or union, showing the closingplugs and broken-off portions of theends of the tubes expanded therein to form a steamtight joint; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the hand-hole cover of the distributing-chambers and its securing-bolt.

The apparatus for heating the feed-water, and which to a certain extent generates thc steam therefrom, is composed of the distributing-chamber 1, which I build in iiusli with the outer side of the wall of the boiler-setting and which is subdivided into the upper and the lower compartments 2 and 3, which I designate water distributing or circulating chambers.

Connected to and projecting fromeach of the upper and lower distributing-chambers are the water heating and circulating tubes 4 and 5, which extend across the furnace between said furnace and the furnace-sheets of the boiler and project at their ends into the opposite side walls of the setting, and each of the upper pipes, 4, is connected at its end to the end of its corresponding lower pipe, 5, by the header or return-coupling 6, which I will hereinafter describe. The pipe f 7 ,through which the feed-water is fed into the upper chamber, 2, at its rear end is connected to a feed-water pump or othersuitable water-feeding device. The connecting-pipe 8 connects the top of the top circulating-chamber, 2, with the top side or steam-space of the boiler, andl the pipe 9 connects with the lower distributing-chamber, 3, at its front end and with the boiler just below the water-space thereof for certain reasons hereinafter set forth. I do not, however, confine myself to one pipe 8 connecting the top chamber, 2, with the steamspace of the boiler, as two or more may also' be used when the evaporation is rapid or other conditions require a more distributed area of exit. The construction of the returncoupling or header G is novel and important. This header 6 is composed of the upper section, 10, and the lower section, 11, which have their tube-fits or connecting ends bored smooth to receive the end tubes 4 and 5, wherein they are expanded to form a steamtight joint, and said headers have their plugged ends tapped to receive their closingplugs 13. The top and bottom sections, 10 and 11, of the headers are connected by an integral neck 12, the area of the bore of which is equal to that of either of the water-circulating tubes. It will be observed that in the event of a leak occurring in the tube-fits of the headers G the same maybe readily stopped by removing the plug 13 and expanding the end of the tube to form a steam-tight joint without inconvenience.

I provide the hand-hole cover 14, secured by the tie-bolt 15 to the top and bottom chamber hand-hole openings, for the purpose of gaining access to the ends of the tubes in the circulating-chambers 2 and 3 when it is necessary to expand a tube therein or to remove a worn-out or burned tube therefrom. I also provide the blow-off cock 16, attached to the front end of the lower distributing-chamber, 3, for the purpose of blowing off or removing the sediment or deposit collected in said circulating-chamber 3.

It has been found in practice that when a series of rows or pairs of water-circulating tubes are so connected to form an unbroken and continuous circulation from one tube or pair of tubes to the consecutive tube or pair of tubes, and so on in regular succession, the feed-water circulating through said tubes is soon converted into steam of high tension, thereby baring said tubes, the surfaces of which are exposed to the fierce heat of the furnace, which causes them to sag or be distorted. In order to prevent this distortion, I. arrange the said tubes in independent pairs in such a manner that each of the top tubes, 4, is connected directly to the top distributing-chamber, 2, at one end, which is the receiving or induction end of the circulatingtube when the feed-water is being` forced into the chamber 2, said top tube, 4, connected at its opposite end to the end of the lower tube, 5, which latter connects with the lower chamber, 3, thus reducing the period of exposure of the iiuid to the heating-surface of the tubes 4 and 5 to the time during which the fluid flows through said tubes, during which time the water is sufficiently heated to enter the steam-boiler.

It will also be observed that in order to prevent, as much as possible, the unequal expansion of the tubes and also the violent vibrations of the tubes due to the cold feedwater contacting with those tubes exposed to the direct and consequently greater heat of the furnace I introduce the cold feed-water into the top distributing-chamber, 2, from which it first ilows into the top tubes, 4, which are the cooler tubes, thereby gradually heating the said feed-water and preparing it to enter the lower hotter tubes, 5, through which said water nally passes into the lower chamber, 3, thence into the boiler. rlhus it will be readily understood that by this arrangement, the huid iiowing in the manner described, all tendency to condensation and re-evaporation of the iiuid in motion in said tubes is avoided, and consequently the evil of unequal expansion, vibration and annoying noise is prevented.

It will be readily seen from the drawings that the tubes 4 and 5 exposed to the fire are at all times supplied with water either directly from the feed-pump or from the boiler. Thus when the feed-pump is in operation the water circulates directly through the heating-tubes 4 and 5, and thence is delivered into the boiler through the pipe connection 9, and when the feed-water is shut off for any time from iiowing through the feed-pipe 7 the water from the boiler flows down the pipe 9, hereinbefore referred to, from the boiler into the bottom distributing chamber, 3, thence through the bottom tubes, 5, and the top tubes, 4, where the iiuid is either converted into steam or partially so and discharged into the upper distributing-chamber, 2, from whence it flows through the pipe 8 into the steam-space or top of the boiler, as shown in the drawings.

Having thus fully described the construetion and operation of my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to cover by Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is-

1. In a feed-water heater and steam-generator,the combination with a side distributingchamber divided into upper and lower longitudinal compartments, water circulating tubes extending horizontally from the upper and lower compartments of said chamber and having their outer projecting ends connected in vertical pairs, headers for connecting said tubes, closing-plugs opposite said tubes, and suitable means and pipes for supplying the feed-water to the upper compartment of said chamber, and a pipe connecting said top compartment with the boiler above the waterline thereof, and a pipe connecting the said lower compartment with the boiler below the water-line thereof, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a feed-waterheater and steam-generator, the combination with a steam-boiler its furnace and setting, of aside water-distributing chamber divided into upper and lower compartments, water heating and circulating tubes extending horizontally from the upper and lower compartments of said chamber and between the said boiler and furnace and having their opposite ends projecting into the opposite side furnace-wall, headers connect- IOO IOS

IIO

ing the ends of said tubes in vertical pairs, In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 1o removable plugs in said headers opposite the my hand in the presence of tWo subscribing ends of said upper and lower tubes, a steayln-d Witnesses.

pipe connecting the upper compartment of p said chamber with the steam-space of the DAVID. MYERS.V boiler, and a, Water-pipe connecting the lower compartment of said Chamber with said boiler Vtnesses:

belour the Water-line thereof, all substantially L. A. NOFTZGER,

es and for the purpose set forth. L. J. BURDGE. 

